Electrical horometer



(Nb Model.) Q

B. M. HAMMOND.

- ELEGTRIGAL HOROMETER.

No; 373,975. Patented Nov. 29, 1887.

IiVITJVESSELS" I 11v VEJY T0 R W M Q I 1 1 N. PETERS, Phowumo n hen Wubinhn. 5.6.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BEN. M. HAMMOND, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

ELECTRICAL HOROMETER.

QPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,975, dated November 29, 1887.

Application filed March 11, 1887. Serial No. 230,510.

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known thatlI, BEN. M. HAMMOND, a cltlzen of the United States, residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Horometers, of which the following is so full, clear, and exact a description as will enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to .make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

ThlS invention relates to certain new and useful lmprovementsin means for determining the length of time a consumer uses the electric fluid conveyed to him from a central station, and it is especially designed to be used in connection with the switch board or box for turningon and off the current, as the consumer desires.

In another application filed by me on the 8th day of March, 1887, I have described my improvement as used independently of aswitch-board; but in the present instance I have endeavored both .to simplify my construction and to make it applicable to the ordinaryswitchboard.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and on which similar letters of reference indicatethe same or corresponding features, Figure 1 represents my improved device as it appears attached to a switchboard and with the registering-dials removed. Fig. 2 is a detail view showing the dials.

The letter A designates the ordinary switchboard, made of wood, paper, rubber, or of any non-conducting material which is strong and durable.

The letter B designates an electric-battery dynamo or source of supply, and the letters 0 and D the wires coming therefrom and attached, respectively, to the posts E and F on the under surface of the board, in the usual (No model.)

1 rial. The other endorarm of the lever is provided on its under surface and at its extreme end with a detent, H, fitting between the teeth of the ratchet-wheel I.

As seen in Fig. 2, I represent a clock-face having three dials, J K L, similar in appearapplication above alluded to.

the minutes, the letter K the dial which shows the hours, and the letter L the dial which shows the days. Each dial is provided with a hand and with any suitable form of clock-gearing, which I will not here describe, as it forms no part of my invention. One of the shafts, however, of this train of gearing is elongated and provided on its outer end with a ratchet-wheel, I. Now, when the lever or switch-arm is inthe position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the current is not flowing and the ratchet-wheel is engaged by the detent, and the gearing is rendered incapable of operating; but when the arm or lever is moved to the position shown in dotted lines, and current is thereby directed and utilized, then the detent is raised from between the teethof the ratchet-wheel and the gearing allowed to rotate, which it will continue to do until the switch is turned to the posit-ion shown in full lines. It will be observed that this form does application above alluded to, and, while that form of device is found desirable in some instances, the form here shown is simpler and cheaper to construct.

'It will be readily understood that I do not wish to limit myself to the means shown and described in this application for recording the time, as any other suitable measuring instrument or apparatus may be used as well without departing from the general spirit of my invention.

Having now described the objects, uses, and advantages of my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent, and what I therefore claim, is

As an improvement in means for automatically registering the time an electric circuitis used, the combination, with a switch-board having thereon the terminals of an electric ance and construction to that described in my' The letter J represents a dial which shows ICC circuit, of a bell-crank lever pivoted to the In testimony that I claim the above as my switchboard and making the connection beinvention, I hereunto set my hand in the pres tween said terminals, said lever having at one ence of two subscribing witnesses. end a handle and at the other end a detent en- 5 gaging with a ratchet-wheel when the circuit v BEN. M. HAMMOND.

is opened, the said Wheel being mounted upon the extended portion of one of the shafts of a Witnesses: clock or other suitable registering mechanism, EUG. P. CAROLAN, al1 arranged and combined to operate sub- ALFRED CONRADS.

1o stantially as shown and described. 

